Post.



W. A. OLIPHANT.

POST.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1912.

Patented Apr, 28

A llorneys,

I 1% lll l 2 i! 2; I ll I INVENTOR COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO-,\VASHINGTON.D. c

WILLIAM A. OLIPHANT, OF PETERSIBURG, INDIANA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 28, 19114.

Application filed November 25, 1912. Serial No. 733,560.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, lVrnLnmr A. OLIPHANT,citizen of the United States, residing at Petersburg, in the county ofPike and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Posts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates, broadly speaking, to post structures, and itsprinciples may be embodied in the construction of fence posts, telephoneand telegraph poles, etc.

The post embodying the present invention is designed chiefly for use inlocalities where the action of the elements is likely to be such aswould tend to overturn the post. lVhen the principles of the inventionare embodied in the construction of fence post, such a post isparticularly well adapted for use in fencing off low lands which areliable to become inundated. Where a perfectly rigid fence post isemployed in fencing ofi low lands, when the lands become flooded, driftis swept by the flood over the surface of the land and lodging againstthe fences or the posts thereof, results in the posts being snapped attheir bases so that they cannot be repaired, and the erection of a newfence is rendered necessary.

It is therefore, one aim of the present invention to provide a fencepost so constructed that the fence of which it forms a part may be laiddown upon the surface of the ground when found desirable. Consequently,when posts embodying the present invention are employed in fencing oiflow lands, a greater or less length of the fence of which they form apart may be manually laid down, thereby allowing free passage of thedrift and preventing injury to the fence.

Incidentally, it is an aim of the invention to provide a post possessingthe characteristics above mentioned, which post may be readilyoverturned or set up without the use of tools of any sort and withoutthe necessity of adjusting any of its parts or its connection with itsbase.

A telephone or telegraph pole constructed in accordance with the presentinvention is especially adapted for use in localities where high windsare likely to prevail which would in. all likelihood snap or overturnand destroy or injure beyond repair the ordinary rigid post.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view illustrating a section of fence including in itsstructure the fence post embodying the present invention, the fencebeing shown set up in full lines and laid down in dotted lines. Fig. 2is a view in elevation of the post, a portion of the base thereof beingbroken away. Fig. 3 is a view partly in section and partly in edgeelevation of the fence post, the same being shown in normal position infull lines and in swung down or tilted position in dotted lines. Fig. atis a vertical transverse sectional view illustrating a slightmodification of the invention.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawingby the same reference characters.

As before stated, the principles of the invention may be embodied in theconstruction of a fence post or of a telephone or telegraph pole, or anysimilar post-0r pole, but are here shown as embodied in a fence post.

The base of the post is indicated by the numeral 1 and is preferably ofconcrete or some other plastic material, and while it may assumepractically any desired form, the form shown in the drawing is to bepreferred. As illustrated, the base is of greater width and thickness atits upper end, and tapered in the direction of its lower end, thedownwardly converging side faces of the base being indicatedby thenumeral 2, and the downwardly converging edge faces being indicated at3. At its lower end, however, the base is increased in width asindicated at a, so that when embedded in the soil it will be anchored asagainst upward displacement. For a purpose which will be presently fullyexplained, the base is formed in its top face with a transverselyextending recess 5 which preferably terminates at its ends short of theplanes occupied by the edge faces 3 of the base. The wall of the recess5 is preferably transversely concaved, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of thedrawing.

The postproper is indicated by the numeral 6 and as clearly shown in theseveral figures of the drawing is tapered toward its upper end. Thispost is preferably formed of wood and in is ap iroximatcly t'mice post.-ctlerrii to Fig. 3 it will be obvious that the lower end of the posti.--: rounded or tran :vc1sely convened as at (3 and the curvature ofthe convex lower end of the post corresponds to the 'lransv curvature ofthe ."Jilll of the seat or rec in the upper end of the base so that thelower end of the host may seat snugly in the recess in the (ll-airing,the recess is illustrated as relative. y shallow. but it will beunderstood that it may be of greater depth than here shown it aindexpedient. The post is supported at its lower end between a pair ofanchoring members, each of which is formed from a suitable length 7 ofstrap iron bent upon itself at a point midway between its ends, asindicated at 8, the portions of the anchoring member adjacent the bend Sbcing' slightly spaced, as indicated at fl so that when the anchoringmembers are embedded in the base 1, the plastic material from which thebase is formed will fill the space 3) between the folds or spacedportions of the anchoring members and these members will be thus firmlyanchored as against withdrawal.

Referring to F 2 of the drawing it will. be noted that the anchoringmembers are so positioned or embedded in the base that the ends of theirspaced portions or an ordinary foldswill project a slight distance abovethe upper end of the base 1, the projecting end of one anchoring memberbeing located a i; one end of the recess and the projecting end of theother anchoring member being located at the other end of the saidrecess. The anclmiing members have their ends tor-med with openings 10through which are inserted lag screws 11, these screws being driven intothe opposite edges of the post 6 at a point ad acent the lower endthereof.

By referring to Fig. 3 of the drawing it will, be apparent that the postmay have swinging or tilting movement upon the lag screws 11, but itwill also be apparent from this figure that the axis about which thepost may have wringing movement, as defined by the lag screws, islocated such a distance above the lower end of the post as to beeccentric to the line of curvature of the said lower end of the post. Asa cons quence, when the post is in an upright position, its COI'D'QXlower end will seat snugly and firmly in the recess and the post will besupported in u right position, additional support being afforded by thewires secured to it. it will be pparenh however, that the post may beoverturned manually as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3, andthat when overturned or tilted it will lie substantially horizontally,or in other words substantially flat upon the ground.

wires carried by the post are indicated by the numeral 12 and may bemerely line wires as shown, or may be replaced by woven wire, or bywooden rails.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a fence constructed inaccordance with the present invention will be substantial, and willwithstand any ordinary impacts and may be readily manually overturned,carrying with it the fence wires, and may be equally as readily raised01' swung up to upright position. In practice, a number of the postsconstructed as herein shown and described will be arranged in a line between fixed end posts and when it is desired to lower the fence, thefence wires will be disconnected from one of the fixed posts and thefence will then be allowed to lower as ll()'\\fi in dotted lines in Fig.1 of the drawings. Vl hen it is desired to return the fence to uprightposition, a rope may be connected to the said end of the fence andpulling force exerted thereon. After it has been pulled touprightposition, the wires of the fence are secured.

As shown in Fig. & of the drawing, the anchoring members 7 may beadditionally reinforced by a third anchoringmember formed from asuitable length of rod mate rial bent to form a connecting portion 13 atthe ends of which the rod is bent to extend through the loops formed bythe bends S in the anchoring members and is thence bent downwardly as at14, the lower ends of the portions ll of the rod being bent as at 15 toconform substantially to the contour of the widened portion 4- of thebase 1.

It will be understood that in embodying the principles of the inventionin the con struction of a. telephone or telegraph pole, practically thesame arrangement of parts will be resorted to as in the present case,the proportions only being varied to suit the different use to which thepost is put.

It will be observed by reference to the drawing that the posts arearranged with their side faces presented in the direction of extent ofthe fence as a whole, and that the fence wires are secured to the edgesof the posts, the posts being adapted to swing down in the direction ofextent of the fence, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings.It will thus be seen that the up standing portions of theanchoringmembers and the lag screws 11 will serve to firmly brace thepost in a direction at right angles to the line of extent of the fence,although it may be readily manually lowered, as before described.

Haring thus described the invention what claimed as new is 1. In anarticle of the class described, a base having a concave seat. in itsupper end, supports located at the ends of the seat, a

The post disposed in its lower end betwoen'the supports and having itssaid lower end resting in the seat, and means upon the supportspivot-ally engaging the post, the pivot means being locatedeccentrically to the concaved wall of the seat.

2. In an article of the class described, a base provided in its upperend With a transversely extending seat terminating short of the oppositesides of the said upper end of the base, supports projecting above theupper end of the base and closing the ends of the seat, a post havingits lower end shaped to fit the seat When the post is in uprightposition, and means upon the supports pivotally engaging the post atpoints eccentric to the seat.

In an article of the class described, a base formed in its upper endwith a concave side, spaced supports embedded in the base at theopposite ends of the seat and projecting above the said upper end of thebase, a post disposed at its lower end upon the base and having its saidend shaped to fitthe seat When the post is in upright position, andpivots fitted through the upper ends of the supports and into theopposite sides of the post, the pivots being located eccentrically Withrespect to the curvature of the seat.

In' testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

lVILLL-XM A. OLIPHANT. [1,. s]

lVitnesses VILLIAM D. (From, JEFF. M. ALEXANDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O.

